It's been almost a month since our last update and a lot has happened!

1. I had my first jewelry party launching me as an official jeweler on October 17th. Since that day, I've had 6 additional jewelry parties and I have 13 more scheduled on my calendar!

2. Jay and I had the appointment we asked everyone to pray for in our last update... the doctor gave us some hope. For us, any news that isn't bad news is amazing news! They put Jay on a fertility drug that could increase his numbers. They said it's a small chance and no guarantee but it was exiting to us! The God we serve specializes in the small chances and impossibles! We go back at the end of the year to find out if its helped at all. The results will determine our next steps.

3. And finally, the news I'm most excited about sharing with you... we are in the process right now of being licensed as foster & adoptive parents! God actually began this process in us a little over 2 months ago, so bear with me, and let me share a little back story...

Before we started our public journey, when I was really wrestling with which direction we should take with our infertility procedures, I was praying one morning and the thought crossed my mind about adoption. Our plan has always been to have babies and adopt, but in that order, not the other way around. Jay has always remained open to reversing the order but I just didn't want to mess up "my plan." This thought was so random since I really wasn't open to it. I didn't even write it in my prayer journal, I just sat in my chair and thought about it for a few minutes. There were two fears that I had about adoption that I pondered for a few minutes. I then got up, and didn't say anything else about it to anyone, not even Jay.

A few days later, on Saturday while Jay was performing his brother's wedding, we got the call that my Granny was in the hospital and several tumors were discovered all throughout her body. Sunday morning Jay and I drove to the hospital to be with our family while we awaited the final diagnosis. Jay and I had a few minutes with Granny and Granddaddy before the rest of our family arrived (the nurses called us "the crew" because there were so many of us!). We small talked for just a few minutes and then she patted the edge of the bed and motioned for both of us to come sit. She held my hand and asked if we were still considering adoption. I was so taken back because I hadn't mentioned it to anyone and had only had a few conversations with Granny about our struggles to have a baby. Because of this, the question was so out of the blue and unexpected.

While squeezing my hand she once again shared her and Granddaddy's story of adopting my Aunt. (They had trouble getting pregnant, they adopted, and then 9 months later my mom was born. #surprise!) While she shared her story she interjected comments directed towards us that confronted both my fears directly. She didn't know it, but God was using her to calm my fears and confirm what God had put in our hearts. Jay and I walked out of the room and looked at each other and both said, "What was that all about!?!?" We knew God was speaking to us.

7 days later, Granny passed away in Hospice. It was the most heart-breaking week for our family but it was also beautiful. We were able to be by her side the entire week and I can not even describe to you the amazing moments we had together.

During that week I received so much confirmation that we should take this step towards adoption. A week later we called to sign up for PRIDE, a 9-week state mandated adoption class. The class was the only one around our area that was still accepting people and was already in it's 2nd week and was meeting in Trenton that night. If we didn't attend this class we would have had to wait until 2014 to find another. To say we got in by the skin of our teeth would be an understatement!

So began our 9 week journey. We "graduated" last week and have actually decided to foster with the intent to adopt so that we can have a better chance of getting a younger child. We understand the risk involved of loosing a child that is reunified with their birthparents but are willing to accept that. We will be licensed most likely by mid-December and could receive calls for placement soon after.

It's been a whirlwind the past couple of months with this decision and we haven't shared it publicly just because we were still in serious prayer about which direction we should go. Now, we are excited to say the least. We aren't closing the door to having a baby ourselves at all, we may just flip the script a little. :)

Who knows what the next few months will hold except the One who holds everything. He's got this!